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Cargo vessel sinks off Bulgarian coast following Black Sea drone strikes

A commercial ship sank and another was damaged in maritime drone strikes, according to BBC News reporting on Bulgarian officials.

Updated Oct 8, 2026 · 22:17 UTC11 reports

The short version

  • A Turkish-owned cargo ship flying Togo's flag sank and its crew remains missing following an overnight drone attack off Bulgaria.[BBC News]
  • A second vessel transporting grain was struck nearby, but all 18 crew members aboard were rescued safely.[BBC News]
  • Bulgarian authorities have not identified who launched the strikes, and Moscow has issued no comment.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • The Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan sank roughly 70 miles off Byala, Bulgaria, after an attack involving air and sea drones.[BBC News]
  • The crew of the sunken vessel Alfa Watan remains missing following the strike.[BBC News]
  • A second vessel, the Palau-flagged grain ship Able, was also hit in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, but its 18 crew members were rescued.[BBC News]
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks on civilian shipping as unacceptable.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The total number of people aboard the Alfa Watan and the nature of its cargo remain unconfirmed.[BBC News]
  • Bulgarian officials have not stated who was responsible for launching the drone strikes.[BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.